Fallen Petals
by Bramblepath1234
Summary: After Rosepetal admits she doesn't love her mate, Bumblestripe, any longer, she craves for love. But when the muddled mess of thoughts inside her straighten out, a shocking secret is revealed. All cats must question the true meaning of love.


**I'm Bramblepath1234 and this is my first fanfiction posted on here. I'm probably doing something wrong, so bear with me. In the meantime, enjoy the extremely short chapter one. xD**

ThunderClan

Leader

Hollystar – black she-cat with leaf-green eyes

Deputy

Moleclaw – brown-and-cream tom with short whiskers

Medicine Cat

Jayfeather – small gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes

Apprentice, Cherrywing

Warriors

Lionblaze – large golden tabby tom with amber eyes

Ivypool – silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes

Bumblestripe – very pale gray tom with black stripes

Squirrelflight – dark ginger she-cat with green eyes and one white paw

Apprentice, Honeypaw

Icecloud – white she-cat with blue eyes

Sorreltail – tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes

Hazeltail – small gray-and-white she-cat

Mousewhisker – gray-and-white tom

Apprentice, Berrypaw

Foxleap – reddish brown tabby tom

Silverfeather – small silver tabby tom with blue eyes

Bluewhisker – blue-gray tomcat

Apprentices

Cherrywing – ginger she-cat, medicine cat apprentice

Honeypaw – cream she-cat, identical to Berrypaw

Berrypaw – cream tomcat, identical to Honeypaw

Queens

Rosepetal – dark cream she-cat, expecting Bumblestripe's kits

Elders

Graystripe – fluffy gray tom with darker stripes

Brightheart – ginger-and-white she-cat

Ferncloud – pale gray she-cat with darker flecks and green eyes

Chapter One

Rosepetal lay in a patch of sunlight, warming her smoothed-down cream fur. Her kittens stirred inside her, along with a pang of regret. She sighed heavily and closed her eyes, hoping to have a moment of peace, away from all of her troubles and secret thoughts raging inside her. She was expecting Bumblestripe's kits, yes, but did she truly love him? She knew the depths of his love for her, but she was doubting her own.

"Hey, Rosepetal," a nervous voice interrupted her attempted peace. She cracked open one eye and bit back a sigh as she recognized the young tomcat in front of her: it was Bluewhisker. He had just received his warrior name three days ago, along with his brother, Silverfeather. The two were the kits of Lionblaze and Cinderheart. After their mother had died in an accident with a Twoleg monster – the abandoned Thunderpath was no longer abandoned – Lionblaze had sworn to protect his cherished kits at any cost.

"Do you want me to fetch you anything? Bumblestripe wanted me to check," Bluewhisker added, noticing the way Rosepetal's fur spiked up a bit on her shoulders. She shook her head, and he backed away slowly. "O-okay."

She sighed again. Now she had her mate on her mind, and she didn't want that. She hung her head in shame, though she knew no cat could read her thoughts. She pricked her ears and listened to the contented murmurings of the forest.

Things had been peaceful for all four Clans since the war with the Dark Forest and its recruits, or the Battle for the Stars, as it was nicknamed. Many cats died, but the Clans were healing and slowly regaining strength. As for betrayals and action, Dovewing was not one of the Three. She was a Dark Forest spy, a reincarnation of the oldest Dark Forest member. Her cats had found a way to reincarnate souls, and give powers, though they could only do it once – and they chose the right cat. Up until the final battle, the Clans were convinced she was a part of the Three.

As for Hollystar, she was found, half-dead and starving at an entrance to a tunnel that led all the way through Clan territory and broke off into several caverns and other tunnels. She was nurtured back to health and invited to rejoin ThunderClan, which she did. When Dovewing revealed herself to be evil, Jayfeather and Lionblaze were frantic to find the final One. But old Firestar was clever enough to realize that the One was Hollyleaf – and her power was leadership. She led the Clans into the real Dark Forest and guided them to the Dark Forest cats.

Ivypool was promoted to deputy of ThunderClan after Brambleclaw caved in to pressure from his father, Tigerstar, and joined the Dark Forest's side. She died bravely in the Battle, and Firestar replaced her with Hollyleaf. His ninth life was taken by Tigerstar, but not before he dealt his eternal enemy the destroying blow. Hollyleaf was welcomed by StarClan and she received her nine lives and leader name.

Rosepetal sat up as Jayfeather padded out of his den, his sightless blue eyes fixed on her. Her fur prickled eerily. Lionblaze and Hollystar had been open enough about their powers, but all Jayfeather had said was a simple, 'I know things'. "Good morning," she greeted him, licking her lips nervously.

"We need to talk" was all he said as he padded out of the hollow. Glancing about, Rosepetal heaved herself to her paws and trotted after him, her bulging belly swinging. He stopped at a small clearing encircled with soft ferns, and sat down silently. His emotionless eyes pierced her until she sat down.

"What is this all about?" Rosepetal demanded, a flicker of fear igniting deep within her. What if he knew about her feelings? How could he?

"Yes, I know," Jayfeather began, wrapping his tail around his paws. "I can feel your anxiety and doubt rolling off of you like fog over water. Your constant questioning of yourself is pretty loud." He shook his head for silence as she opened her mouth to speak. "Let me give you some advice. If you doubt your love for him, then you don't truly love him. You have to tell him. Putting off things makes the pain greater when the time comes. Make your life easier and tell him _now_."

It wasn't every day that a forever mateless, prophetic, attitude-filled tomcat gave her love advice, but Rosepetal felt herself agreeing with him. She nodded. "Very well. I-I will tell him as soon as I can. Is he out on patrol?"

"Rosepetal!" a loud exclamation interrupted Jayfeather before he could even speak. A pale gray tom burst out of the bracken, his eyes shining with concern. "What are you doing out here? You're too close to kitting, you have to go back to the nursery!" Jayfeather gave Rosepetal a small nod as he slipped away.

"I need to talk to you, Bumblestripe," Rosepetal began, her heart heavy. Bumblestripe's eyes glittered with worry as he sat down. "I know we've been through a lot together, and had a lot of fun, too. I know I'm expecting your kits. I-I just didn't expect... what I'm trying to say is... what we had before, we don't have now. I-I don't love you any more, Bumblestripe. I'm sorry."

Shock and pain flashed into the tom's green eyes. He stared at his former mate, only able to gape. "I-I..." he stammered, his throat frozen. "Is there someone else?"

Rosepetal shook her head. "No. I promise you, Bumblestripe, I'm not replacing you." She prayed to StarClan she wasn't lying, and she felt guilt wash over her again.

"What about our kits?" he asked, his voice wavering strongly.

"They will be okay. Berrypaw and Honeypaw were raised without a father, and Bluewhisker and Silverfeather without a mother. Our kits will have both parents, just... apart." She bit her lip and gazed at her paws, hoping Bumblestripe wouldn't do something rash. But he just backed away slowly, his eyes damp with sadness. He whirled around and fled, leaving the bracken behind him rattling.

Guilt overcame Rosepetal and she turned and pelted into the trees in the opposite direction, but she heard Jayfeather's voice calling out to her behind: "You did the right thing!"


End file.
